If you really need an ER it's best to show up in an ambulance.
Took my wife to the emergency room in a central coast California town. I appeared to be the only English speaker in the waiting room. A hospital employee came out and asked me for my $250 emergency room copay. This request was not made to any one else in the waiting room.
It’s not just Cali. Memphis has 1 public hospital, it serves Miss, and ARK too. Illegals have turned it into a doctor’s office. Private ones treat you like a Criminal. If they have to admit they do a 2 day Medicare one, which is technically a hold for Observation, not a hospital admission, they might run a few test to look like they are doing something, but not actually getting at the root of why you went to a ER.
It often takes weeks to get in to see your doctor, if you get a referral it could be MONTHS before a slot opens even if it Urgent. We use Kroger’s little Clinic for most easy to treat stuff that just needs an Antibiotic. This is a bigger issue in Rural areas that have few medical doctors or facilities.
Primary ran his usual battery of blood work, both Sugar/and Kidney values are way out of wack, called the ENDO’s office to get an appointment Wed, still not heard back from them. My test Meter doesn’t show the crazy BS values. Tad over what they want them to be, but not in Crisis zone. Yet I got labelled a Untreated Diabetic with Stage 3 Kidney disease. NO referral to a Kidney doc or mention of medication, or test more frequently. That is my ENDO’s Job he’s in charge of the Thyroid and Pre-Diabetic from Gastropresis gastro issues.